The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-30
AN INCENDIARY'S TORCH.
TT is APPLIED TO j. A. G. CARsONS
NEW HOME.

The Costly Mansion Completely Quilted
"A Small Flame Quickly Spreads
Until it Envelopes the Whole House
No Reason Given for the Burning
The Fire Departments Good Work.
The newly built residence of Mr. j. A. G.
Carson took fire few minutes before mid
night last night and was almost totally
DESTROYED. 1t was situated on Bolton street,
between Drayton and Abercorn, and occu-
pied the second lot west of Abercorn. 1t
was an elegant residence and was almost
ready for occupation. There seems
but little doubt that incendiarieS
caused the burning, but what their
motive was is no more known than who
they are. The fire was discovered by n ser
want in the family of Mr. Charles Haines.
Mr.. Haines crossed the yard of the new
mansion and went into the rear of his own
lot to leave an order with his cook. lie
passed then into the house, but before he
Shut the door the cook called to him and
told him that there was a fire. He ran into
the lane and saw a blaze on the piazza that
separated the kitchen of Mr. Carson's resi-
dence from the main part Of the house.
BURST INTO FLAMES.
Only a moment before he had passed
there, but there was no sign of any fire. 1t
had sprung up in very few seconds, but
Mr.. Haines did not wait to inquire the
origin He ran to McMahon's grocery, on
New Houston street, for the key to the fire
alarm box. He called Mr.. Mcmahon ont,
and they secured the key and started for the
box, but Mounted Officer McQuade turned
in the alarm lust before they got there.
They hurried back to the fire, and when
they arrived they found that the flames had
eaten their way through the door and were
rapidly spreading.
Mr.. Tom Davis, operator of the Savan-
nah, Florida and Western, lives next door,
and he wassawakened and advised to move
out what furniture he could He replied
that he thought there was no danger to his
house. but all who were in it dressed and
sought place of safety
THE FIREMEN AT WORK.
The Fire Department which arrived with
all promptness, came up at that time and
began the work of subduing the flames.
Protection Hose Company was the first on
the spot and a line of hose was run to the
rear of the house and stream turned on
the piazza where the flames had first been
seen, but they had made their way inside
and seemed to have found ready material
upon which to feed for they spread with re-
markable swiftness.
In but few minutes the house was a
blaze from cellar to roof, and soon the lat
ter fell and the flames leaped high in the
air, Illuminating the whole neighborhoOd
and making the park extension as bright as
day. Crowds of people assembled in spite
of the lateness of the hour, and all
watched with regret the rapid
destruction of the handsome property.
ADJOINING HOUSES IN DANGER
They kept at a safe distance, for the fire
burned fercely, and the heat was so intense
that the neighbors used their garden hose to
keep their walls from catching fire, though
the flames were not near them. The heat
set fire to Mr.. Davis house, but did not do
much damage.
The fireman, under Assistant Chief
George Mouro, worked faithfully and with
great success. Although the odds were great
" against them they succeeded in getting the
fire under control at last, and III spite of the
fact that at one time the whole interior was
like roaring furnace, they saved the walls
which still stand though they are valueless
In the course of three quartrrs of an hour
the fire had been put out and only few
red spots remained on the black framework
that was left, and when these had one by
one been washed out, the crowd and the de-
partment left.
A s12, 900 LOSS
Mr. Carson, who is with j. P. Williams &
Co., began his house last spring and had
spent about $4,000 in its erection. 1t was
fitted up with all the modern appliances for
comfort and convenience Electric bells,
burglar alarms and everything else that
could make it a perfect residence, was put
into it and it was one of the most
beautiful houses in that part of
the city was covered with n
builders risk but for what amount is I'M
known. The house was in that section of
the city where so many incendiary fires
have occurred. There is seemingly no ex-
PLANTATION of the action of the fiends who
apparently commit these deeds only for the
love of them, for in all the fires that have
occurred there has been no reason for the
application of the brand and nothing to
prompt any one to such a crime. No trace
of the incendiaries has been obtained.